Circuit and County Courts in Putnam County and Flagler County Florida have continuing jurisdiction over criminal records which allow courts to seal or expunge Florida criminal history information maintained by the court system and records maintained by Florida law enforcement agencies.
- Expunge. If your Florida record is expunged, then the records from the court and most records maintained by law enforcement will by physically destroyed, although a copy of the file will remain with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).
- Seal. If your Florida record is sealed, then it remains confidential and the public will not have access to the record through any government databases but certain government entities, including the police, have certain legal rights to access criminal records that are sealed under certain conditions. Those same government entities that would have access to a sealed record will be told that a record was "expunged" but will not have access to the contents of the record maintained by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) without a court order.
In either case, employers will not have access to the information through a background check. Contact me today and I'll schedule a consultation so we can discuss the details of your case and best strategies to fight the charge. The free consultation is a "strategic planning session." From that meeting, you will know what you need to do as you fight for the best result in your case.